Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

Elisheba

slm6002 said:

I have a shark and it is the worst hoover I've ever owned.  I would not recommend.  Every time I use it, it either needs de-clogging of hair or unblocking somewhere.  I treated myself to it in the first lockdown as I had never owned anything other than basic supermarket hoover.

Sounds like they have the exact same problems as my Dyson then, so I won't rush to change! I still much, much prefer them to the heavy, old pusharound corded ones though. 

Jellytotts

We've just bought a new house and on the important must haves list were a bath, a decent sized garden for the cats, a village community and space for our hobbies.  We've managed to find a house that ticks all of those which will make life far more pleasant.  On a personal level, I'd struggle without hobbies and crafts and without somewhere peaceful and decent to walk to.  This current house is lacking the walks (too many main roads kill any enjoyment of being able to walk to the beach), not enough space for me to craft the way I want (using the kitchen table as a sewing table doesn't work with cats and my need to have the kitchen clean and tidy).  

I could without all technology aside from a radio, I have it on nearly all day.  

lucielle

I have a corded shark which is brilliant. 

L

Elisheba

Evening, all 😊, 

Those sound like important things for a house to have @Jellytotts. In my next house I want an upstairs loo, a bigger garden and room for a dishwasher (although now I have my baby one that is less pressing).

Things I wanted and got when I moved here were some outdoor space for the cats, doors between rooms and a door to upstairs as well, no carpets where the cats would be, a driveway, a bath, a spare room/office, working fireplaces, almost immediate access to countryside, a nice town with things going on, and a train station nearby.

I have been having a very nice holiday so far and can't believe it is already Thursday! On Monday I went swimming, went for a lovely walk, looked at some shops, had a coffee, and did some reading, Tuesday was a quiet one in the house, Wednesday I went to a National Trust place and had a lovely dog walk and then got some (very disappointing) millionaire's shortcake and a Chai steamer, and today I went swimming then got the train to my local city and visited another National Trust place and 2 other museums. Also popped into a few charity shops and got 4 tops which will be useful once the weather is a tad warmer. Oh, and a couple of secondhand books from one of the National Trust places 😁.

My not actually sciatica is killing me this evening, and made some of the Museums today not much fun. I've taken a painkiller and hopefully tomorrow will not be so much standing around which is what sets it off. 

Plan tomorrow is coffee with friends, some charity shops and possibly my local town museum if the not actually sciatica will stand it. My London plan  of seeing Churchill's War Rooms has had to be scuppered due to train issues, but on the plus side that will save me lots of money as London trips are not cheap.

Other than that, I am logging everything I spend and have a holiday pot set aside so all holiday spends are coming out of that. I think I'll just try and visit a few local towns and NT places over the next week or so. I very much want to stay busy so it doesn't feel like a wasted break, but I'll need to see how the nerve pain goes. Walking at speed isn't normally a problem until I've dive a few miles, so pleasant dog walks are still on the cards albeit slightly shorter ones than I'm used to. 

I'm reading a very interesting book at the moment called Eve's War - A Diary of a Military Wife during the Second World War, by Evelyn Shillington. It is the diary of the wife of a Lieutenant Colonel leading up to and through WW2. I do like reading a good account of war on the Home Front, and this book with the perspective of someone whose husband is longterm military and so fairly senior, but without a permanent home, is new to me and I'm learning a lot. 

Poor old Eve is so peripatetic, chasing after her constantly moving husband, that she is making me feel very comfy and satisfied in my little terraced cottage even if it does have wonky stairs, and awful draughts, and a garden path rather than a garden. 

I got a washing done today, so must remember to hang it up before bed. Other than the ongoing and never ending dishes, that has been the limit of house work this week. I do need to strip my bed, but I don't suppose that is anything urgent that needs worrying about. 

That's all my news for now, so I hope everyone has a fab Easter weekend with all the chocolate eggs you could possibly desire 😊🐰

WinterWarrior

Happy Easter @Elisheba. Thank you for sharing your holidays. I’m another one who wouldn’t be without my dishwasher. Also my pets, my car (which is essential for rural living), my kindle (which I never thought would replace real books, but has), my iPad/laptop/internet and oddly the hot water tap (total game changer). I would have said baths too, but I unwisely chose a freestanding one, which shifts if bumped and so has a nice big leak when it drains, I really want to replace it with an uglier one that works, but MrWW says he will fix it…but never does! I’ve found I can live quite well with a shower, even if not through choice 😬

SuzeQStan

Happy Weekend Elisheba - sorry to hear the nerve pain has resurfaced.  

@WinterWarrior - free standing bath sufferer here too. Boiler isn’t even big enough to fill the durn thing

Luckily we have a dinky bath in family bathroom and I love it - fills like a dream. 

Want to get rid the big bath as it’s never used/complete waste of space

Makingabobor2

Sounds like you are having a good break and the book sounds interesting. I love books like that. Although TBH, I'll read allsorts as long as its not trash...lol

missymoo81

Sounds like you’re having a lovely hols @Elisheba.

Elisheba

Morning all, 

Hope you all had a lovely Easter. It was a bit of a non event for me as I decided not to go up to Scotland to visit family. 

I have been enjoying my time off. I've done a lot of reading and chilling out - I decided I was putting too much pressure on myself to go out and do things, and I should just relax more. I have visited a few places locally and eaten lots of cake in cafes though!

I've logged all my spending, although I haven't added it up yet. There is a fair bit in my holiday pot though so I'm not worried. I'm off to see a friend later today, got dinner with a friend tomorrow and Quaker things on Sunday. Can't believe there are only those 3 days left before it's back to work! Saying that, getting back to a routine will be good for me I suppose 🙄.

I had to go for xrays yesterday for my hip and leg nerve pain - still trying to find a cause. I was really anxious before hand, and I'm not sure why - could be it was a hospital I hadn't been to before and trying to work out parking and things can be stressful. Anyway it was all fine of course, although the position I had to lie in to get the xrays did make my leg sore all day. There was a fresh fruit stall outside which I thought was a great piece of entrepreneurship 😁.

I saw a house locally for rent this week. It had a big garden and was on the outskirts of a village. I called up but annoyingly they wouldn't take pets. It did make me think though that I should start keeping an eye out for suitable local rentals. I had written it off before as my current rent is fairly low and with moving costs etc, it would all be a waste of money. However, with not knowing what my future plans are just now, I really think the addition of a decent garden and a rural setting, sooner rather than later, would be better for my mental health.

So if I am thinking of a move sooner rather then later, I'll need to start decluttering. I did quite a lot during the pandemic, so there isn't masses to do, but things do build up. Lots of drawers that need sorting, and a couple of cupboards.

As part of my holiday budget I treated myself to a Yankee Candle, so my house currently smells like cherries. I also got a lovely mug from Tesco which says 'Let nature heal you' . Those are the only actual things I have bought though. I very sternly had to talk myself out of spring garlands and wreaths that were reduced the other day 😂.

My plan for the next few days - 

Today 
AM - walk dog. Early lunch. Drive to friend's house
PM - see friend, drive home
Evening - relax
Meals - Lunch - partially baked rolls with cheese and ham. Dinner - sausage, mash, peas. 

Saturday
AM - house cleaning (hoovering, dusting, bathroom, change bedding, clean fridge and microwave). Food shopping. 
PM - visit local town, take dog for a walk there, get tea and cake 
Evening - out for dinner
Meals - Lunch - partially baked rolls with cheese and ham.

Sunday 
AM and PM - Quaker things 
Evening - dog walk, batch cook soup and two oven dishes, and relax. 
Meals - Lunch - partially baked rolls, Dinner - Quorn roast with potatoes and veg.

Meal Plan for next week
Lunches - soup and rolls
Dinners - 
Mon - roast left overs
Tues - quorn stirfry
Wed - quorn and Pesto pasta 
Thursday - quorn and Pesto pasta 
Friday - out for dinner
Saturday - HM pizza
Sunday - quorn roast

Shopping list
Mushrooms
Beansprouts 
Squash 
More partially baked rolls

I'm sure I'll think of more before I go! 

Pink12345

Long time lurker.  From my experience dont just rely an x-ray, in December I got an xray, results stated I had moderate arthritis in my hip.  But the pain was getting worse and worse, I could only walk bent over like quasi moto and the aid of a rollator. Eventually i got an mri, which indicated I had osteoporosis between 2 vertebrae, compression of nerve between 2 other vertebrae and a facet joint cyst. These did not show up on the xray. I am now three weeks post surgery and that horrendous pain down my leg was gone when I woke up from surgery.  So from my experience if it gets any worse insist on an mri.